Start out by passing out lyric sheets and playing Beer for My Horses. For the most part, this is an easy lesson. They tend to love the song and the idea is easy for Ukrainian students to understand right now.
--Go over vocab/phrases they need to have clarified. Make sure they understand what 'saddle up', 'draw a hard line', 'long arm of the law', 'settle down' mean.
--Go over themes in the song (they should remember the song from lesson 1 and easily recall this)
--Introduce the words 'vigilante', 'vigilante justice', 'vigilantism'
ask appropriate questions: What is vigilante justice? Does it happen in Ukraine? (Interesting that most of the students don't think it does until I bring up specific instances: The citizens of Ternopil publicly shaming their police and special forces as well as other public employees last winter; the burning of Ternopil police headquarters the night of Feb 18. There are quite a lot of recorded instances from the past year, actually. This becomes an easy discussion then.) Why does it happen? Is it OK? When? When isn't it?
--Pass out text : Vigilante is Spanish for watchman, guard; from vigilante vigilant, from Latin vigilant-, vigilans.
Vigilante justice (also called frontier justice or street justice) is extrajudicial punishment (punishment by the state or someone else carried out without legal process or supervision from a court or tribunal through a legal proceeding) that is motivated by the nonexistence of law and order or dissatisfaction with justice. Lynching and gun-fighting are forms of vigilante justice.
During the 19th century in the US many areas of the Wild West had no established institutions of law and order. This led the local community to literally take the law into its own hands and dispense justice through Vigilante Committees.
In San Francisco news of the discovery of gold to the north depleted the police force while simultaneously triggering a population explosion. The resulting increase in crime and violence prompted the establishment of a Vigilante committee to maintain law and order. The Committee was made up of 600 local volunteers, most of whom were prominent members of the business community. During its first year (1851), the Committee hanged four law breakers, whipped one, deported 20 and released 41 after trial. As a result, violent crime was reduced in the city.
Vigilantism happens in the 21st century as well. It is often spurred on by the perception that criminal punishment is either nonexistent or insufficient for the crime.
Those who believe this see their governments as ineffective in enforcing the law; thus, such individuals fulfill the like-minded wishes of the community. In other instances, a person may choose a role of vigilante as a result of personal experience as opposed to a social demand.
Persons seen as "escaping from the law" or "above the law" are sometimes the targets of vigilantism. It may target persons or organizations involved in illegal activities in general or it may be aimed against a specific group or type of activity, e.g. police corruption. Other times, governmental corruption is the prime target of vigilante freedom fighters.
Vigilante behavior may differ in degree of violence. In some cases vigilantes may assault targets verbally, physically attack them or vandalize their property. Anyone who defies the law to further justice is a vigilante, and thus violence is not a necessary criterion.
In New York City on December 22, 1984, Bernhard Goetz shot four young black men when they tried to mug him. He was eventually arrested and tried on several criminal counts but a jury found him not guilty of all charges except the one for carrying an unlicensed firearm. Mr Goetz was dubbed the ‘Subway Vigilante’ by the NYC press and came to symbolize New Yorkers’ frustrations with the high crime rates of the 1980’s. He was both praised and vilified in the media and public opinion.
In Ukraine, Amnesty International has raised concerns of vigilantism by many people during the recent crisis- including both pro-Kyiv and separatist groups. In particular, Amnesty International has accused Oleg Lyashko of this: Oleg Lyashko is supposed to be a lawmaker, but he has taken the law into his own hands.(references: vigilante, Wikipedia, Princeton.edu, amnesty international, Bernhard Goetz)
--Talk a bit about the 2 mentioned (Goetz and Lyashko). Hero? Villain?
--Divide class into 2 groups (One class was small so I used only one discussion card.) Give each group a discussion card.
--Go over vocab/phrases they need to have clarified. Make sure they understand what 'saddle up', 'draw a hard line', 'long arm of the law', 'settle down' mean.
--Go over themes in the song (they should remember the song from lesson 1 and easily recall this)
--Introduce the words 'vigilante', 'vigilante justice', 'vigilantism'
ask appropriate questions: What is vigilante justice? Does it happen in Ukraine? (Interesting that most of the students don't think it does until I bring up specific instances: The citizens of Ternopil publicly shaming their police and special forces as well as other public employees last winter; the burning of Ternopil police headquarters the night of Feb 18. There are quite a lot of recorded instances from the past year, actually. This becomes an easy discussion then.) Why does it happen? Is it OK? When? When isn't it?
--Pass out text : Vigilante is Spanish for watchman, guard; from vigilante vigilant, from Latin vigilant-, vigilans.
Vigilante justice (also called frontier justice or street justice) is extrajudicial punishment (punishment by the state or someone else carried out without legal process or supervision from a court or tribunal through a legal proceeding) that is motivated by the nonexistence of law and order or dissatisfaction with justice. Lynching and gun-fighting are forms of vigilante justice.
During the 19th century in the US many areas of the Wild West had no established institutions of law and order. This led the local community to literally take the law into its own hands and dispense justice through Vigilante Committees.
In San Francisco news of the discovery of gold to the north depleted the police force while simultaneously triggering a population explosion. The resulting increase in crime and violence prompted the establishment of a Vigilante committee to maintain law and order. The Committee was made up of 600 local volunteers, most of whom were prominent members of the business community. During its first year (1851), the Committee hanged four law breakers, whipped one, deported 20 and released 41 after trial. As a result, violent crime was reduced in the city.
Vigilantism happens in the 21st century as well. It is often spurred on by the perception that criminal punishment is either nonexistent or insufficient for the crime.
Those who believe this see their governments as ineffective in enforcing the law; thus, such individuals fulfill the like-minded wishes of the community. In other instances, a person may choose a role of vigilante as a result of personal experience as opposed to a social demand.
Persons seen as "escaping from the law" or "above the law" are sometimes the targets of vigilantism. It may target persons or organizations involved in illegal activities in general or it may be aimed against a specific group or type of activity, e.g. police corruption. Other times, governmental corruption is the prime target of vigilante freedom fighters.
Vigilante behavior may differ in degree of violence. In some cases vigilantes may assault targets verbally, physically attack them or vandalize their property. Anyone who defies the law to further justice is a vigilante, and thus violence is not a necessary criterion.
In New York City on December 22, 1984, Bernhard Goetz shot four young black men when they tried to mug him. He was eventually arrested and tried on several criminal counts but a jury found him not guilty of all charges except the one for carrying an unlicensed firearm. Mr Goetz was dubbed the ‘Subway Vigilante’ by the NYC press and came to symbolize New Yorkers’ frustrations with the high crime rates of the 1980’s. He was both praised and vilified in the media and public opinion.
In Ukraine, Amnesty International has raised concerns of vigilantism by many people during the recent crisis- including both pro-Kyiv and separatist groups. In particular, Amnesty International has accused Oleg Lyashko of this: Oleg Lyashko is supposed to be a lawmaker, but he has taken the law into his own hands.(references: vigilante, Wikipedia, Princeton.edu, amnesty international, Bernhard Goetz)
--Divide class into 2 groups (One class was small so I used only one discussion card.) Give each group a discussion card.
Card One:
-
You were on the metro in Kyiv during the morning
rush hour. You were pick-pocketed AND
you know who did it. You filled out the proper papers at the police station but
after two weeks, nothing has been done. You have some pretty intimidating
friends; you know where to find the person who robbed you.
-
In your group, decide whether or not you will
pursue this on your own or leave it up to the police.
-
Discuss legal options you have.
-
Talk about What you will do and How.
Give
us as many details as you can!
Card Two:
-
It’s 1867, New Mexico (which is a US Territory).
You have a cattle ranch and about 10 cowboys who help you work the ranch. You
know that cattle thieves have been rustling (stealing)
your cattle. In the past year, you estimate you have lost more than 50 cows.
-
Each person in your group is a rancher in a
similar situation. You decide to form a posse and go after the rustlers.
-
Describe in detail What you will do and How.
-
Talk about how many cowboys there will be all
together.
Give
us as many details as you can!
As already noted, this was an easy lesson and, in my opinion, an excellent one for these kids right now.
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